Por favor verifica tu e-mail para tener acceso completo al Hub haciendo click al link enviado a youremail@gmail.com
Reenviar correo de verificación
💣 Viene el entrenamiento intensivo en pagos instántaneos más completo de Latam. Reserva tu cupo en nuestro Fellowship

Argentina’s Neobank Uala Valued at $2.45 Billion After US$350 million Financing Round

August 13, 2021
Por
Jorgelina do Rosario
Jorgelina do Rosario
Editor @ Bloomberg LP.
📷
Infobae
Argentine financial services startup Uala was valued at $2.45 billion in a financing round led by Japanese conglomerate SoftBank Group Corp. and Chinese Internet giant Tencent Holdings Ltd.
Contenido para Usuarios 🔒

Both companies are boosting their stake in the Buenos Aires-based firm through a $350 million series D financing round, along with early backers including the billionaire George Soros, Goldman Sachs Group Inc., Ribbit Capital and Monashees. New investors in the round include hedge fund D1 Capital Partners, 166 2nd LLC and angel investor Jacqueline Reses.

Uala will use the funds to double its workforce to more than 2,000 employees by the end of next year as it develops new business units, and accelerate growth plans in Mexico, according to founder and chief executive officer Pierpaolo Barbieri. The company has issued more than 3.3 million prepaid Mastercards to shoppers in Argentina and some 200,000 debit cards in Mexico.

Pierpaolo Barbieri
Pierpaolo BarbieriSource: Ualá
“Less than four years since the launch of the company, we have over 10% of the country on the Uala ecosystem,” Barbieri said in a phone interview, speaking of the Argentine market. “We are going to reach operational breakeven in Argentina next year.”

Like many other financial technology firms in the region, the company has experienced faster growth during the coronavirus pandemic, as Argentines were forced to turn to online options due to strict lockdowns. About 22% of Argentines between the age of 18 and 25 have a Uala card, according to the company’s data.

“Our investment will propel the next stage of their vision, furthering a regional ecosystem that can make financial services more accessible and transparent across LatAm,” said Marcelo Claure, CEO of SoftBank Group International.

Uala Handout

​Barbieri, who said the company’s main competition continues to be cash, declined to comment on expansion plans in Latin America after starting operations in Mexico in 2020. The startup is awaiting approval from Argentina’s central bank for its acquisition of digital bank Wilobank earlier this year.

The mobile payments company says its growth push is already fully financed by this latest round and it isn’t planing to go public for several years.

“This round gives plenty of fuel for our big ambitions,” Barbieri said. “Thinking about an IPO is premature.”

Las opiniones compartidas y expresadas por los analistas son libres e independientes, y de ellas son responsables sus autores. No reflejan ni comprometen el pensamiento u opinión de Latam Fintech Hub, por lo cual no pueden ser interpretadas como recomendaciones emitidas por la platafomra. Esta plataforma es un espacio abierto para promover la diversidad de puntos de vista sobre el ecosistema Fintech.

Both companies are boosting their stake in the Buenos Aires-based firm through a $350 million series D financing round, along with early backers including the billionaire George Soros, Goldman Sachs Group Inc., Ribbit Capital and Monashees. New investors in the round include hedge fund D1 Capital Partners, 166 2nd LLC and angel investor Jacqueline Reses.

Uala will use the funds to double its workforce to more than 2,000 employees by the end of next year as it develops new business units, and accelerate growth plans in Mexico, according to founder and chief executive officer Pierpaolo Barbieri. The company has issued more than 3.3 million prepaid Mastercards to shoppers in Argentina and some 200,000 debit cards in Mexico.

Pierpaolo Barbieri
Pierpaolo BarbieriSource: Ualá
“Less than four years since the launch of the company, we have over 10% of the country on the Uala ecosystem,” Barbieri said in a phone interview, speaking of the Argentine market. “We are going to reach operational breakeven in Argentina next year.”

Like many other financial technology firms in the region, the company has experienced faster growth during the coronavirus pandemic, as Argentines were forced to turn to online options due to strict lockdowns. About 22% of Argentines between the age of 18 and 25 have a Uala card, according to the company’s data.

“Our investment will propel the next stage of their vision, furthering a regional ecosystem that can make financial services more accessible and transparent across LatAm,” said Marcelo Claure, CEO of SoftBank Group International.

Uala Handout

​Barbieri, who said the company’s main competition continues to be cash, declined to comment on expansion plans in Latin America after starting operations in Mexico in 2020. The startup is awaiting approval from Argentina’s central bank for its acquisition of digital bank Wilobank earlier this year.

The mobile payments company says its growth push is already fully financed by this latest round and it isn’t planing to go public for several years.

“This round gives plenty of fuel for our big ambitions,” Barbieri said. “Thinking about an IPO is premature.”

Las opiniones compartidas y expresadas por los analistas son libres e independientes, y solamente sus autores son responsables de ellas. No reflejan ni comprometen el pensamiento o la opinión del equipo de Latam Fintech Hub y, por lo tanto, no pueden interpretarse como recomendaciones emitidas por la plataforma. Esta plataforma es un espacio abierto para promover la diversidad de puntos de vista en el ecosistema Fintech.

Este contenido es solo para
usuarios Prime 👑 del Hub.

Hacer upgrade ▸
Apoyado por:
Conoce cómo Mastercard está adoptando el cambio y fomentando el crecimiento de Fintechs en Latam
Contacta al equipo
Hub Ranking:
#
6
País de origen:
Headquarters:
Buenos Aires
Monto inversión:
300
M
Ronda financiación:
Series E
Más novedades

Fintechs en
tendencia del Hub

No items found.

Argentina 🇦🇷

Ecosistema Fintech

Más Makers Imparables ⚡

Makers
Paytech 💳
Billetera virtual ligada a una APP y Tarjeta, que permite tener una mejor relación y control de tu dinero en línea.

Más Insights

Por
Protección
Protección
Acompañamos a las personas para que desde HOY tomen decisiones que les permitan vivir con tranquilidad y hacer realidad sus grandes proyectos.

Nuestra comunidad

WHATSAPP
✨ Nuevo!
Tenemos un canal de Whatsapp donde contamos todos los movimientos en la industria.
Usuario pRIME 👑
Acceso ilimitado. Desbloquee la cobertura exclusiva, entrevistas con CEOs, eventos especiales y más.
Activar suscripción
RESUMEN SEMANAL
Todas las semanas envíamos a tu email un resumen con todos los avances en el ecosistema Fintech.
Abrir el Blueprint
Grupo de SLACK
Tenemos un grupo de Slack con todos los miembros registrados del Hub para que sigamos conversando.
uNIRSE AL GRUPO